Micro-miniature particles of chemotherapy will be used as first-line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- LUNGevity Foundation, the nation's largest lung cancer-focused nonprofit, applauds the FDA approval of Abraxane® for advanced cases of non-small cell lung cancer providing a much-needed new option for these patients. Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common form of lung cancer, representing 85% of lung cancer cases, and in the majority of patients it is diagnosed in locally advanced or metastatic stages when it is more difficult to treat.

"At LUNGevity our goal is to extend patients' lives and improve the quality of their lives, and Abraxane® has the potential to impact both," said LUNGevity Foundation President Andrea Stern Ferris. "Abraxane® is already approved for patients with metastatic breast cancer. We are pleased to see its benefits extended to patients with non-small cell lung cancer, a widespread and difficult-to-treat form of the disease." LUNGevity Foundation, as the largest private funder of lung cancer research in the United States, places a high priority on lung cancer research that can directly improve patients' lives.

Clinical studies have demonstrated that Abraxane® is effective as first-line therapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. A further look at specific groups of patients showed that Abraxane® can improve response to treatments in patients with one of the most difficult forms of lung cancer to treat called squamous cell lung cancer. "It is exciting to see advancements come to market for this group of patients which has been under-served", said Stern Ferris.

Personalized medicine, including new genetic testing and molecular analysis, is helping to better match some patients to the treatments that are best for them. However, in cases where these tests do not point to a specific treatment for lung cancer, a new option such as Abraxane® is critically important for patients who have the most urgent need for new options.

About LUNGevity Foundation

The mission of LUNGevity Foundation is to have a meaningful impact on improving lung cancer survival rates, ensure a higher quality of life for lung cancer patients and provide a community for those impacted by lung cancer. It does so by supporting critical research into the early detection and successful treatment of lung cancer, as well as by providing information, resources and a support community to patients and caregivers.

LUNGevity seeks to inspire the nation to commit to ending lung cancer.

For more information about LUNGevity's scientific research funding or LUNGevity Foundation, please visit www.lungevity.org.

About Lung Cancer

1 in 14 Americans is diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, regardless of gender or ethnicity

Lung cancer kills almost twice as many women as breast cancer and more than three times as many men as prostate cancer

About 55% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers

Only 16% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, BUT if it's caught before it spreads, the chance for 5-year survival improves dramatically